Method and apparatus for shape forming endovascular graft material

• US 6,776,604 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Endologix
• Original Assignee: Trivascular Incorporated
• Inventors: Stephens, Patrick, Chobotov, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/029,570
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 264/505, 264/506, 264/507, 425/522, 425/392, 425/387.1, 425/DIG.55
• US Class Current: 425/522
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/44 rotatable about the axis of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4815 Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/482 Drying adhesives, e.g. solvent based adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/483 Reactive adhesives, e.g. chemically curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4322 by joining a single sheet to itself B29C66/4332 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/49 Internally supporting the, e.g. tubular, article during joining B29C66/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/494 using an inflatable core
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/65 with a relative motion between the article and the welding tool B29C65/10, B29C65/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81422 being convex
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8161 said pressing elements being supported or backed-up by springs or by resilient material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81812 the welding jaws being cooled from the outside, e.g. by blowing a gas or spraying a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8221 Scissor or lever mechanisms, i.e. involving a pivot point
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8222 Pinion or rack mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/836 : Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table B29C66/65 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/0683 : UHMWPE, i.e. ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 : PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 : Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/02 : Inflatable articles balls B29L2031/54 ; inner tyres B29L2023/245
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/022 : Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7546 : Surgical equipment

Abstract

Methods and devices for molding a desired configuration into an endovascular graft section that is made of a plurality of layers of fusible material. Layers of fusible material are disposed on a shape forming mandrel with seams in the layers that may be configured to produce inflatable channel. The graft section and shape forming mandrel can be placed in a mold which contains an outer layer or layers of fusible material while the inflatable channels are being expanded and the fusible material of the graft section fixed. In some embodiments, the fusible material of the graft section may be fixed by a sintering process.

Claims

1. A mold for the manufacture of an endovascular graft or section thereof which has a plurality of inflatable circumferential channels and at least one inflatable longitudinal channel in fluid communication with and connecting the circumferential channels, the mold comprising:

a plurality of mold body portions configured to mate with at least one of the other mold body portions to produce an assembled mold having a main cavity portion with an inside surface contour that matches an outside surface contour of the endovascular graft section wherein the assembled mold comprises

(a) a plurality of circumferential channel cavities that have inside surface contours that match outside surface contours of the plurality of inflatable circumferential channels in an expanded state; and

(b) at least one longitudinal channel cavity in fluid communication with and connecting the circumferential channel cavities, the longitudinal channel cavity having an inside surface contour that matches an outside surface contour of the at least one inflatable longitudinal channel in an expanded state.

2. The mold of claim 1, further comprising at least one cuff cavity that has an inside surface contour that corresponds to an outside surface contour of an at least one inflatable cuff of the graft section in an expanded state.

3. The mold of claim 1 wherein the mold body portions comprise sintered metal.

4. The mold of claim 1 further comprising at least one exhaust channel in fluid communication with the main cavity portion of the mold and a position outside the mold.

5. The mold of claim 4 wherein the exhaust channel is disposed on a contact surface of a mold body portion.

6. The mold of claim 1 wherein the mold body portions comprise aluminum.

7. The mold of claim 1 wherein the main cavity portion has a length of about 50 to about 300 mm.

8. The mold of claim 1 wherein the main cavity portion has an inner transverse dimension of about 4 to about 50 mm.

9. The mold of claim 1 further comprising a first tapered portion disposed at a first end of the main cavity portion and a second tapered portion disposed at a second end of the main cavity portion, wherein the first and second tapered portions taper to an increased transverse dimension toward respective first and second ends of the mold.

10. A mold for manufacture of an endovascular graft or section thereof which has a plurality of inflatable circumferential channels and at least one inflatable longitudinal channel fluid communication with and connecting the circumferential channels, the mold comprising:

a first mold body portion and a second mold body portion configured to mate with the first mold body portion to produce an assembled mold having a main cavity portion with an inside surface contour that is configured to correspond to an outside surface contour of the graft section wherein the assembled mold comprises

(a) a plurality of circumferential channel cavities that have inside surface contours that match outside surface contours of the plurality of inflatable circumferential channels in an expanded state; and

(b) at least one longitudinal channel cavity in fluid communication with and connecting the circumferential channel cavities, the longitudinal channel cavity having an inside surface contour that matches an outside surface contour of the at least one inflatable longitudinal channel or in an expanded state.

11. The mold of claim 10 further comprising at least one cuff cavity that has an inside surface contour that corresponds to an outside surface contour of an at least one inflatable cuff of the graft section in an expanded state.

12. The mold of claim 10 wherein the mold body portions comprise a sintered metal.

13. The mold of claim 10 further comprising at least one exhaust channel in fluid communication with the main cavity portion and a position outside the mold.

14. The mold of claim 10 wherein the exhaust channel is disposed on a contact surface of the mold body portion.

15. The mold of claim 10 wherein the mold body portions comprise aluminum.

17. The mold of claim 10 wherein the main cavity portion has an inner transverse dimension of about 5 to about 50 mm.

18. The mold of claim 10 further comprising a first tapered portion disposed at a first end of the main cavity portion and a second tapered portion disposed at a second end of the main cavity portion.

16. The mold of claim l0 wherein the main cavity portion has a length of about 50 to about 300 mm.

19. A mold for the manufacture of an endovascular graft or section thereof which has a plurality of inflatable circumferential channels and at least one inflatable helical channel in fluid communication with the circumferential channels, comprising:

a plurality of mold body portions configured to mate with at least one of the other mold body portions to produce an assembled mold having a main cavity portion with an inside surface contour that matches an outside surface contour of the endovascular graft section, wherein the assembled mold comprises

(a) a plurality of circumferential channel cavities that have inside surface contours that match outside surface contours of the plurality of inflatable circumferential channels in an expanded state; and

(b) at least one helical channel cavity in fluid communication with the circumferential channel cavities, the helical channel cavity having an inside surface contour that matches an outside surface contour of the at least one inflatable helical channel in an expanded state.

20. The mold of claim 19, further comprising at least one cuff cavity that has an inside surface contour that corresponds to an outside surface contour of an at least one inflatable cuff of the graft section in an expanded state.

21. The mold of claim 19, further comprising at least one exhaust channel in fluid communication with the main cavity portion of the mold and a position outside the mold.

22. The mold of claim 19, further comprising a first tapered portion disposed at a first end of the main cavity portion and a second tapered portion disposed at a second end of the main cavity portion, wherein the first and second tapered portions taper to an increased transverse dimension toward respective first and second ends of the mold.

23. A mold for the manufacture of an endovascular graft or section thereof which has a plurality of inflatable circumferential channels and at least one inflatable helical channel in fluid communication with the circumferential channels, comprising:

a first mold body portion and a second mold body portion configured to mate with the first mold body portion to produce an assembled mold having a main cavity portion with an inside surface contour that is configured to correspond to an outside surface contour of the graft section, wherein the assembled mold comprises

(a) a plurality of circumferential channel cavities that have inside surface contours that match outside surface contours of the plurality of inflatable circumferential channels in an expanded state; and

(b) at least one helical channel cavity in fluid communication with the circumferential channel cavities, the helical channel cavity having an inside surface contour that matches an outside surface contour of the at least one inflatable helical channel in an expanded state.

24. The mold of claim 23, further comprising at least one cuff cavity that has an inside surface contour that corresponds to an outside surface contour of an at least one inflatable cuff of the graft section in an expanded state.

25. The mold of claim 23, further comprising at least one exhaust channel in fluid communication with the main cavity portion of the mold and a position outside the mold.

26. The mold of claim 23, further comprising a first tapered portion disposed at a first end of the main cavity portion and a second tapered portion disposed at a second end of the main portion, wherein the first and second tapered portions taper to an increased transverse dimension toward respective first and second ends of the mold.